Not sure this is better in all cases.

parse(): Fixed a bug in the output; the dict is referred to in the
code as `countries' not `country'.  Also added no-case-fold for the
string "U.S." since the Virgin Islands name no longer wraps those in
parentheses.

main(): Fixed the argument parsing to agree with the docstring, i.e.
--outputdict instead of --output.

In the module docstring:

- updated my email address
- we don't need to explain about Python 1.5 regexps <wink>

We also don't need to wrap the import of re with a try/except.

Other style fixes:

- untabification
- revert back to <> style everywhere (and consistently)